The key concern of the workshop in Kiribati was the affects of changing sea level on low-lying atoll states.

The workshop is part of a larger scientific project funded by the Asia Pacific Network (APN) for Global Change Research and focused on these three atoll countries - Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Kiribati.

It was noted that recent international sea level rise predictions need to be considered for management purposes and that there were also other factors that needed urgent attention.

An important issue for this region is the strong variation in sea level due to ocean changes and atmospheric events such as El NiÃ±o. The workshop expressed the need to understand how atoll coasts respond to these short-term changes. In addition, there is a need to understand how atoll sediments are changing and to link this to coastal management and coastal protection strategies.

This work will form part of a new scientific research program.

The workshop recommended that there should be a network and exchange of coastal monitoring information among the three countries along with in-country training.

The workshop also recommended that there be an exchange of information and assessment of appropriate technologies for coastal protection.

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